Alternatively
by RuAlf
Summary: In a world where Teru meet another esper in similar but different circumstances. Or in a world where it is not a peaceful life that Mob seeks, but redemption.


Alternatively

 **So, uh, hello, there's finally a tag for Mob psycho so I'll just slide this here and leave…**

Summary:

If you have power to lift up towering building and dissipate ghost with the flick of your finger, would you stay behind the crowds and hide it from view?

Or in a world where Hanazawa met another esper that felt considerably stronger than him under a similar but very much different circumstances

* * *

When Hanazawa Teruki reached the age of five, he lifted the dining table with his gaze. His father and mother both had the same reaction to his strange, supernatural ability: gaping mouth. They asked him to do it again, so he did, complying their wish with another additional bonus: a chair. There were no further reaction from the both of them afterward, but they told him to hide it from plain view. _They wouldn't understand_ , they whispered, _they would think you're too different, the odd one out. And you know what happened to the odd one out, don't you?_

 _They will avoid you,_ they hissed. Teruki didn't understand at first and he asked countless times why would they avoid him for being different, for being special? _Humans fear what they don't understand,_ his mother explained carefully, _your power is something that no one can understand, it defies logic, it's different._ He still couldn't understand why his parents wanted him to stay away from the spotlight, to not be that odd one out.

When he's in elementary, he made the ball he kicked slammed into the net so hard just to prove them wrong. Everyone praised him, their eyes sparkling in awe when he repeated his action countless times. As he basked in the praises, he finally understood what his parents don't want him to feel:

 _Special_.

It's not a bad feeling at first. It felt like their attention was always fixed on him, that they were gravitating toward him instead of pulling away. It felt good. So good it became addicting. This was what his parents feared? But why should they? Shouldn't they be proud of him? Shouldn't they be happy that their son was getting the attention he so much deserved for being born with this power?

He rose to the top while his clueless parents kept on pressing him not to be that odd one out.

That's how his life went by.

Until, of course, he found a proof that he's not that special one alone.

There was another esper right in front of him. He's an ordinary looking boy with bowl cut who was looking at the ground as if it would swallow him whole. His body gesture did not convey power. It seemed that even the weakest wind would be able to whisk the boy away, leaving him to the wind's mercy. But Teru knew more. His sense was screaming at him as he felt how strong the boy is. Every nerves in his body tingled both with excitement and fear.

The boy hadn't even done anything, yet Teru had felt intimidated enough.

He swallowed the fear though, not willing to go down without a fight.

There's a slight shake that went unheard by the other boy when Teru issued his challenge. The boy did not raise his head, he kept looking at the ground, muttering softly at himself. Teru repeated his challenge once more, harsher than he had previously shouted, yet the boy stayed silent. Not even once had he raised his head to at least look at Teru.

Growing impatient, Teru sent a wave of power toward the boy as warning. An invisible shield rendered his effort to waste. Not even a single strand of the boy's hair being affected by his gush of power and this rang the first alarm in Teru's head. This boy is strong, horribly so. Pride got the better of him though and Teru sent another, stronger than before. When it's resulted like a fly crashing the window, he started shouting.

Maybe it's because of his shout, or maybe it's because he's too desperate that he spoke any kind of insults that surfaced in his head, but the boy finally raised his head. Wide, unseeing eyes were staring at him. It felt like the abyss itself was glaring at him and he felt the shudder running from the tip of his toes to the tip of his hair. How could there be a human with those eyes? How could this boy…stay alive?

The boy raised a quivering hand and Teru choked. Something is constraining his breath, squeezing his lungs. He stared unfocusedly at the boy before him. Was this his attack? How could it go through his defense that easily? It hurt. It was painful. He grasped for his throat, seeking that invincible threat in vain effort to gain relief. To no avail, his breathing was constricted by a force that even his power couldn't touch.

Is this how he's going to die? Swallowed by his own pride?

"Nii-san, are you here?"

All of a sudden he was freed, a rush of air went through his lung, prompting coughs out of his mouth. There were footsteps, but he was too focused on composing his breath to notice that someone had approached them. What he could hear was what seemingly to be conversation exchanges and someone reprimanding the other. He blinked to focus his sight and finally, he saw what stood before him.

The bowl cut boy was hugging someone about his age. They both have more or less similar face, but the newcomer's eyes are staring blankly. They don't blink even when Teruki blinked continuously. His eyes are like two orbs that had lost its glimmer of life.

Is he…?

"Let's go home, nii-san, you promised you'll take me home everyday if I didn't skip school" there's a childishness in his voice, an innocence that exude affection. Amidst that innocence, however, he could sense a never ceasing guilt and sorrow that would never be extinguished. The bowlcut boy nodded, before he took the other's hand in his own and said with soft and warm affection that Teruki couldn't believe originated from the lifeless boy.

"Yeah, let's go home…Ritsu…"

* * *

He found them again by chance.

They don't even go to his school, yet he managed to find the two brothers, walking just a little way ahead of him. They were talking animatedly, the older seemingly contented on listening to the younger. It made him wince when he saw how the older avoided the younger's eyes –despite their inability to see- and the flat line on his lips that he knew was tugged forcefully so his lips would stay that way; indifferent and neutral.

How many layers of masks that this boy put on in his daily life?

Teruki did not try to follow the brothers around, but his legs took him anyway. The older took notice of him almost immediately yet he did not say anything. He let him trailed behind a few meters behind them either out of pity or ignorance. Probably it's the latter. They continued in silence, the only sound was coming from the younger brother who seemed not to notice his presence there.

It was not until the brothers arrived in front of an ordinary house you can find anywhere in Japan with the nameplate -'Kageyama' he read- nailed beside the fence that the younger finally turned around and stared at him. Stared was probably not the correct word to explain his action since his eyes aren't functional, but nonetheless, that's what the boy was doing. Teruki flinched when he met the hollow eyes, but he made no movement to walk away.

"Why are you following us?" the younger brother asked menacingly. He pulled his older brother behind him, tightening his grip as his eyebrows scrunched in what could possibly be threatening manner, "…I know you have the same power like brother, so what do you want with him?" his voice was dripping with suspiciousness that probably was doubled by his inability to see him.

The older brother finally moved, whispering something to the younger and pushed him gently after he opened the fence. The younger brother seemed reluctant to let his brother confronted the danger alone, but he got inside albeit slowly and carefully. Lifeless eyes met his again. Teruki swallowed when the bowl cut boy stepped closer in cautious steps. He couldn't move and his breath hitched when the boy stopped right before him.

"What do you want…?" the boy finally asked. Exasperation was clear in his voice and a slight guilt entered Teruki's conscience. "I…live around here…" he spoke carefully, trying to choose his words deliberately so he wouldn't offend the other. With his shoulder slumped, the boy stepped back, away from his personal bubble, "…You should go home…" he muttered, low, but meaningful. He meant those words and would probably lash out should Teruki pushed the wrong button. Before he could stop himself, however, the question that had been climbing up his throat reached its goal.

"…What's…your name?"

He saw the boy's eyes widened, saw his mouth opened as if to answer, but decided against it and turned around to leave him. He thought his question was unanswered, that he had stepped over the line and the boy had chosen not to snap but ignore him instead. But he heard a soft mutter from the boy when he turned away.

"Kageyama…Shigeo…"

Nothing else was exchanged and Teruki did not even have the chance to let the boy –Kageyama-kun- knows his name.

* * *

In this particular world in a particular day, Teruki met a man who was intrigued by Kageyama Shigeo just like he did. The man has light brown –border lining darker orange ochre - hair and he looked far too suspicious to be a normal adult passing by the road in front of Kageyama house. He loitered around far longer than what could be considered normal and Teru immediately noticed that he, too, was attracted to Kageyama's power. For what purpose, he didn't know, but he could make a few guesses.

There's a chance the man is a member of Claw – an organization that he had the unfortunate chance to encounter- trying to forcefully rip Kageyama Shigeo from his life to join their ranks of evil. As he observed the man, however, he could tell that he's a normal human without psychic ability and that he had no intention to jump Kageyama. Teruki crossed one guess from the list of his assumption, though he remained vigilant as he compared the man's manner to the next guess in his list.

On the fourth guess, the man greeted him amicably. He glared at him, his power sparked in resistance, a self defense mechanism that he had always had ever since he understood how his power worked. The man's eyes widened at this, a soft whistle came out between his lips.

"You also have psychic power?" the man asked nonchalantly, as if Teruki hadn't just shown him his capability to hurt someone. Teruki pondered whether or not to trust this man. As he searched for intention inside the pair of dark eyes, he decided to take a gamble and nodded silently. A curious glimmer fleeted the man's eyes and he offered a hand for him to shake. Teruki eyed the hand before he glared up at the man's eyes, relaying his distrust toward the man. Thankfully, the man is quite a perceptive individual and he retracted his hand, probably in fear that Teruki would snap and cut his hand off his wrist.

"Not quite friendly, aren't you?" the man grimaced.

He merely snorted at this remark.

They stayed in silent both mutually understood that they're here for the same purpose.

After a few minutes, the man huffed, stretched his arms and started to walk away. Teruki was about to do the same exact thing to the other way, but a voice stopped him in his track.

"My name is Reigen Arataka," it was calm, reassuring, and somehow offering a hint of compassion, "…if you need someone to talk to about that power of yours, you can come to my place" Teruki turned his head slightly to peek at the man's broad back. _And if you could, bring that boy inside that house too…_ seemed to be added even if it was not voiced aloud.

Teruki went home with a business card shoved deep inside his blazer pocket.

* * *

In this particular world, in a particular day, Ritsu saw the abyss.

When he woke up to darkness, he called out his brother's name. It's frightening, it's horrifying, everything was just so dark and it felt suffocating. Ritsu was scared as he grappled for hold, searching for light and guidance that his brother usually provided him with. He cried his brother's name continuously like a chant, as if that would make his brother appear before him and tell him that it'll be okay, that this will end soon if Ritsu would just endure for a while.

He did get a hug, a warm hug as he sniffed his brother's scent. His brother was calling him as well. His familiar voice grew weaker the more his name was beckoned. Ritsu asked his brother what's wrong and why was everything so dark and where were they. His brother didn't reply any of his questions, instead there were countless apologies streaming out of his brother's lips and nothing else.

Ah…he quickly understood his situation.

He would never see the light again, wouldn't he?

* * *

In a particular world in a particular day, Teruki met Kageyama Shigeo who was telling him not to point his psychic power to other people.

In this particular world in this particular day, Kageyama Shigeo was wearing red shorts and white shirt.

In this particular world in this particular day, Teruki attacked without mercy, lost his pride, and was reminded of what he truly is.

In this world, in this particular day, he sat beside Kageyama Shigeo and Kageyama Ritsu, while listening to their one-sided conversation.

In this world, Kageyama Shigeo did not wear red shorts nor a white shirt.

In this world, Kageyama Shigeo wore a mask he never shed, Kageyama Ritsu wore a fake smile, and Teruki was reminded of what he truly is.

* * *

He became friend with them, he thought. There're too many 'maybes' and 'probablys', but he felt like they were starting to accept his presence as a neutral individual instead of a threatening antagonist. Teruki felt slightly proud of his persistence against the brick wall that is the Kageyama brothers mental barrier. Either it's the older Kageyama's impassive and emotionless voice or the younger irritated, oddly menacing hisses. He surpassed them both with his natural easy-going acceptance and a sincere smile without any hidden intention.

It's unbelievable that not only a few weeks ago, he was this asshole who wouldn't give two shits to condescend another human being.

Why would he turn away from his life? Why would he walk away from his destiny to become great, to become that special protagonist of his world? Why would he throw that all away just to befriend these brothers who were more of two broken humans than a normal human being who would worship the ground he walked on?

The answer was simple: curiosity.

There were many possibilities of what made him change; it could be instinct or maybe it was humility after his defeat from Kageyama Shigeo. Whatever the reason, he wanted to befriend them, to find out the reason behind their connection; their bond. Curiosity was perhaps the strongest reasons among the flimsy, minor motives. The dynamic in their relationship, the reason behind Kageyama Ritsu's ability to sense his surrounding and how restrained Kageyama Shigeo was whenever he's around his little brother. He needed to know, he wanted to understand, to comprehend the puzzle that is Kageyama.

Nevertheless, Teruki is quite patient and until his reasons are satiated, he could wait.

* * *

In this particular world, in this particular day, Reigen would be sitting in one of the ramen kiosk, eating a bowl of ramen with a boy - his student, he glimpsed faintly - beside him.

In a particular world, in a particular day, Reigen would be dropping a few hundred yens coins onto that boy's opened palm.

In this world, in a particular day, Reigen was sitting in his couch, facing a cup of tea and wondered what went wrong in his life.

In this world, in a particular day, Reigen sprawled himself over the sofa and gazed at the empty spot before him.

* * *

Maybe in this world Dimple would succeed on gaining followers.

In this world, the occult he built could grow in great numbers. Thousands would probably follow him with their easily manipulated heart and forceful smile.

He could be a god in this world, commanding a few thousands followers with wide, twisted smirk.

But he grew bored surprisingly easy after he gained so much power.

So in this world, Dimple crumbled without a purpose.

* * *

When Ritsu had to welcome the darkness as a part of his life, he passed his nights in constant crying and tossing and turning. His brother, driven by responsibility and guilt, always, without a fail took hold of him, softly stroking his hair and his back while whispering encouragement to his ears. Every night it was always the same occurrence: he would scream for the darkness to go away and tears would flow out of his useless eyes endlessly. His brother would open his bedroom door, tip-toing inside the room and settled into his side, hugging him.

At first, his brother chanted apologies, stringing 'sorry' into a lullaby until he's finally asleep. After he had replied every night that he had forgiven his brother, Shigeo finally switched his words into encouragement, that Ritsu shouldn't lose hope to gain his sight back. That he would see to it that his beloved younger brother could see again.

Ritsu promised that he would never lose hope.

* * *

"Kageyama-kun?"

On this one fine day, Teruki found his voice spoke in bravado that he didn't know he would be able to muster. He found the little brother alone, sitting at the stairway leading to his school's locker room. The school for disabled was pretty new at that time, built from a certain man's generosity and was soon filled with children who wanted to pursue education despite of their handicapped condition. Kageyama Ritsu didn't flinch away when Teruki asked him nor did he looked surprised for his presence there. He 'stared' at him for a long time, before the boy shook his head.

"Alright…umm," Teruki scratched the back of his neck nervously, "…your brother had gone home first. His homeroom teacher said that he'll be down with a fever soon had he not gone home" he carefully spelt the reason of his visit. The bravado he felt before pushed him forward as Ritsu nodded, understanding the situation. "So…you're here to take me home?" the younger boy finished the sentence for him. Teruki nodded slowly as an answer and after a few processing seconds, followed it with a soft, "Yeah…"

Ritsu stood up abruptly, dusting his uniform – a gakuran just like his older brother's – and stuck out a hand toward Teruki. Or where he thought Teruki was standing. Teruki stared in confusion, before he perked up and took it in his own. He's pleased that the younger Kageyama had finally trusted him enough to allow him this much contact. Teruki noted that despite the small trust, Ritsu was still wary of him, as his fingers seemed to quiver whenever he adjusted their twined hands so the younger would be more comfortable.

Their hands connected loosely as they started to walk home.

They were silent, both having no common ground to base a conversation topic. Teru's head swiveled for words, anything at all to vanquish the uncomfortable silence between them. Usually, he would be listening on the younger Kageyama's story about his day in school. The absence of Kageyama Shigeo seemed to shut Ritsu completely, if not, rendered him mute. The silence stayed during their walk to the Kageyama residence and at one point, it did overwhelm him. Controlled by desperation, Teruki spluttered about weather. Ritsu gave him a small, pitying smile before he answered his 'Nice weather today' with 'The weather forecast this morning said that too'.

Before they knew it, they had arrived in front of the ordinary house of Kageyama. He told the boy that they've arrived and Ritsu politely removed his hand from his grip. Without facing Teruki, Ritsu pushed open the fence and mumbled a thank you. Teruki replied with a nervous smile and a stiff, "You're welcome…" the boy nodded to acknowledge it and disappeared inside the house. He stared dumbly at the closed door, cursing himself for being too dumb to conveniently forget that he wanted to ask a certain question to Ritsu.

"Hanazawa-san…"

Kageyama Shigeo was standing behind the fence, face flushed and sweaty. He looked like he's about to topple over, but the crook between his eyes signify that what he's about to say would be important. He faced the pre-sick boy and watched him fumbled with his fingers awkwardly. "…Can…can you take Ritsu to school tomorrow?" he finally said, his dark eyes fixed at Teruki's blue pair, "…and…also walk him home?" he added.

Teruki did not waste any seconds to reply him with his willingness.

* * *

 _Something is wriggling inside him._

" _His occipital lobe was damaged…if it's just a single side of the lobe, we could probably fix him with therapy, but the damage extends to the entire area and-"_

" _You meant to say that my younger son will be blind" he heard his mother said, no, screamed. Her voice was drenched in misery and hopelessness. He hugged himself, trying really hard to shrink himself and wished that if he tries hard enough, he might disappear. His father was standing beside him, trembling with anxiety._

 _They're going to blame him. They're going to blame him for his lack of strength to protect his little brother. They're going to blame him for letting this happened, to let his dear little brother lose his ability to see._

" _Shigeo…you're not hurt, aren't you?" his mother put both her hands on his cheeks, softly caressing them with her calloused fingers. Wide, glassy eyes blinked. "We'll make sure no such thing happened to you two again, okay…" there's a hand, strong and firm on top of his head. His father had crouched to his eye level, gazing him with determined eyes glossy with sorrow._

" _I'm…I'm….I…" he sniffed, something flickered in the air, an additional pressure. He didn't want this. He didn't want this power if he…if Ritsu…_

 _The lamp above his head shattered with a loud crack and he could tell that his parents were surprised and fear had started to manifest inside their mind. He broke free from his parents hold and ran blindly._

 _The thing inside him quivered._

 _He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and released it slowly, methodically. What was he doing? He stared, unseeing at his hands, forcing them to obey his order. Repress, repressed them inside, bottle them along with whatever inside him. What was he doing? What was he…doing? He pressed both his hand to his face and let the tears fell. It's his fault. It's his fault. It's his fault. He hurt Ritsu. He hurt his own brother. He…he's…_

 _No…no…no…_

 _That wasn't him. It was not him who hurt Ritsu. It's that 'something' inside him. Yes, yes, it's 'something's fault. He…he's not at fault. It's his power that was at fault, yes._

" _Who are you…" he asked to nothing in particular and closed his eyes._

 _His power didn't reply him, it granted the much-needed silence and he accepted it gratefully._

 _For once, it is quiet._

* * *

Ritsu, to put it simply, is a quiet boy.

How could he hold conversation with his brother – albeit one-sided – is a feature that Teruki didn't see existing during their walk home together. He stayed quiet, really quiet and let the silence talked in his stead. Teruki couldn't quite stand the quietness. He's used to the crowds of people chattering mindlessly or gushing praises at him. So the silence that Ritsu wrought upon him was something that bothered him more than his curiosity over the little brother's perceptiveness.

"Can…we…talk?" he broke the silence, gripping a little harder at Ritsu's hand. The younger didn't flinch, he merely gave him a little confused tilt of his head. Renewing his confidence, Teruki began to talk in rambles at first, irrelevant questions which purpose were just to ease the situation, soften the edge that came with their disparity of personality. Ritsu replied him with short answer, sometimes a nod or a shake of his head. Teruki continued forth, more trivial questions to fill the silence. After his twentieth something question, Ritsu raised his free hand and gave him a look akin to that of upset.

"Hanazawa-senpai," the young boy started, "…if you have something to ask me, you don't need to throw a hundred question for it, just ask straight on" the last part came out with irritation lacing each words. Flustered, Teruki almost ripped his hand away from the other, but he held on and took a deep breath. "I don't sense that strong of a psychic power from you-"

"But why was I able to sense you?" Ritsu cut in, "…was that what you want to ask?" despite his blind eyes, it felt like his gaze was piercing through his own eyes. It even felt like those hollow, empty eyes are amplifying his glare instead of nullifying its effect. Sheepishly, he nodded, feeling shamed that an ordinary boy, younger than him, even, could intimidate him like this. Ritsu exhaled, "I can sense espers like nii-san if there's any around…" he slipped his hand out of Teruki's grasp fluidly, "…that was mostly it, I don't have power like nii-san…" he stared unseeingly at both his open palms.

Teruki could see restrained envy and guilt condensed into a bitter frown on the boy's face, but he made no notion to signify this. He put a careful hand on Ritsu's palm so as not to surprise the young boy, before he wrapped his fingers around the smaller hand. Ritsu didn't bother to squeeze back, merely letting his fingers loosely held by the older boy.

"How about normal humans? Can you sense them too?" Teruki asked, diverting the topic from Kageyama Shigeo's power capability. Ritsu shook his head this time, his fingers twitched nervously. He understood why though, he had just revealed that his blindness is very real and could surely hinder him of normal human activities. Though his ability to sense espers is remarkable, it is not a skill that he needed to survive his daily life. He wondered just how had Ritsu survived getting around in his school or house. Teruki chose not to ask about this question though, respecting the limited number of walls that Ritsu allowed him to breach that day.

The rest of the walk was silence.

When they reached Ritsu's house, he announced softly to the boy. Ritsu muttered a thank you before he unlatched himself from his grip and felt around to reach the fence. With obvious habitual motion, he opened the fence and entered the porch, closing it behind him. There was nothing else that was exchanged between them after and the front door closed with a soft 'thump'.

Teruki walked away, proceeding down the road to his house. He wondered how far would he be willing to go to solve the conundrum that was Kageyama brothers.

* * *

A young boy was standing in front of his apartment door, staring fixedly as if his door would give way under intense glare. Reigen's lips twitched to a tiny, confused frown, "Good afternoon, can I help you?" he called out. The young boy – who turned out to be that boy the other boy accompanied every day - turned his head toward him; two empty dark eyes stared back at him and he flinched, a slight fear gripped his chest. "Are you…Reigen Arataka-san?" the young boy spoke in soft voice, as if he's carefully spelling his name letter by letter. Reigen nodded slowly, his eyes darting around to find any clue of who this middle schooler –if the gakuran he wore was anything to go by- was.

The young boy furrowed his eyebrows, "Can you please reply me…?" his voice sounded frustrated. Dark eyes unblinkingly stared straight ahead and Reigen understood almost immediately. "R-right, yes, I am Reigen Arataka" he puffed his chest proudly despite himself and winked at the boy, "…anything I can help you with?" he approached the boy in quick steps.

"Hanazawa-san told me that you know about our power despite being a normal human," the boy spoke softly, his eyes stared emptily at the air, "…I want to ask you a favor" the boy fiddled with the string of his bag. Hanazawa? Is he that boy with fancy blonde hair? There's no one else who knows that except that boy from before- oh, was that him, he spied behind the air conditioner fan?- and, well, he, himself. Or whatever entity out there who might be the god of the world -but he's not that much of a religious person.

"It's quite fine, I'm the one who told him to come for me should anyth-"

"Just a yes or no is fine, Reigen-san…" cut the boy. His tone as cold as ice and just as sharp that Reigen raised his hand defensively. "Okay, yes, I would help you" he answered, dropping his hands knowing that it had no significant effect against the boy. With the dark bangs concealing the boy's eyes, he could barely read what he has in mind, yet when the hand was offered to him, he grabbed it by instinct almost too excitedly. The boy flinched when he grabbed his hand, but he held fast, shaking his hand probably out of politeness.

"Kageyama Ritsu…" the boy said.

"Reigen Arataka…" he replied automatically.

For a brief moment, Reigen just stared at their joined hand and wondered if this is the piece that he's actually been missing. It just felt like he's going in the right track. Ritsu broke the handshake first and murmured incomprehensible words to himself before he 'looked' up toward him. In this moment, there was that nudge inside his head, an image overlapping with Ritsu's face, morphing him into another boy's face that he knows, no, he should've known.

"I want you to teach me how to become stronger"

 **" _Can you teach me how to control my power?"_**

He blinked and after a few moment of thoughtful silence, he nodded, a wistful look fixed on his face.

* * *

 **I apologize if all I can think about lately is Mob Psycho…I neglected a lot of thing because of it…damn…but it is so fun to write more about Mob in his adorable world. So, forgive me…**

 **Also, this is not by any means related to how I said I'm a slut for espers in story…**

 **It might continue, maybe, perhaps, but not now. So for now, this is all I have in that AU if Ritsu got blind as the result of Mob losing consciousness –and went ?%- during that fight in the past.**


End file.
